Paws Of Ophelia
by Nyte Kat
Summary: Trapped in yet another unfamiliar world, the Swat Kats must put their trust in a strange she-kat. Established Jake/Chance slash.
1. Chapter 1

**STOP! CONTENT WARNING: THIS STORY IS SLASH! DON'T LIKE, DON'T READ! THIS IS YOUR FINAL WARNING!**

_I do not own The Swat Kats. I am not making any money off this fiction. This is a little bit different than what I normally write so have a little patience. I'm feeling adventurous and adventurous doesn't always work in my favor. _

_Nyte Kat_

_

* * *

_

The first sign that T-Bone had that he was returning to consciousness was the dull but rapidly increasing throbbing pain in his skull. As he started to become aware of more than the marching band in his head, he felt soft, cool dirt beneath his paws and something just close enough to his nose to make it itch. He was laying on his stomach, and feeling most uncomfortable. Clenching his jaw tightly and summoning all his strength, the tabby cracked open a single blue eye. A gasp of pain slipped unchecked out of his dry mouth and he slammed the pale velvety lid shut.

"T-Bone," a hoarse voice whispered to his right.

"Unh, crud... wh-what happened?" T-Bone decided it was best to keep his eyes shut and his head still.

"The Pastmaster," Razor replied, his voice sounding tight as if speaking through gritted teeth.

"Oh yeah," T-Bone groaned. "I remember now." He sucked in a sharp breath and forced himself up with a loud moan of pain.

"Concussion?" Razor asked.

"Affirmative," T-Bone lowered his helmet-clad cranium into his dirty bare paws. Bare paws? "Shit!" He snapped his head up. "Ohh," he whimpered. "Where's my glovatrix?"

"Stuck in the tree that broke your fall, I think." Razor surmised.

"Tree that broke my fall?" T-Bone squinted in the overly bright light of the shady forest.

"You had the luck of getting knocked out by a pipe that was sucked into the time portal with us." Razor explained. "And then you hit a tree. It slowed your decent to the ground."

"And you?" T-Bone slowly turned his head to assess his quiet partner.

"I lost consciousness when I hit the ground. I don't know how long I was out, but I woke up twenty minutes prior to you."  
"Any idea where we... Razor..." T-Bone trailed off into a quiet gasp as he took in the awkward angle of one of his partner's legs. "Holy..."

Razor, his eyes squeezed shut and his face pinched into an expression of immense pain, let out a ragged breath. "It's... not as bad as it looks... clean break... as far as I can tell with the swelling."

T-Bone cautiously moved closer to Razor, his vision swaying moderately. As it leveled out, he tried to take stock of what he could see. Razor was notorious for covering up wounds he thought weren't serious enough to worry about. There was a deep cut across on of his cinnamon furred cheeks and several rips in his flight suit, exposing bleeding scrapes. But the leg, broken in either the tibia or fibula, was swollen so that the normally loose fitting leg on the red and blue flight suit was tight. "Can you stand?"  
"I tried." Razor chuckled and then clutched his ribs. He'd hit the ground hard and fast and had dislodged something in his chest.

"Broken rib?" T-Bone quickly got to work inspecting his mate.

"Or three," Razor laughed again, followed by a groan. "I... can feel one moving..." He gasped as he touched the spot to show the tabby. "Hurts... further up but I don't think they're broken. Maybe cracked. Or just bruised."

Concussion forgotten, T-Bone grasped the leg on Razor's flight suit and pulled it up. "At least it didn't break the flesh." He looked around slowly, his gut screaming that they weren't safe. "There," he pointed at an overhanging of roots from a fallen tree. "That will give us some cover." His paw rested on Jake's uninjured leg and he frowned as he felt trembling. "Don't know if it's safe enough to make a fire, though." He sighed loudly. "Gotta set your leg first." T-Bone stood up quickly, then moaned and sank back down to his knees, clutching the sides of his head. "Christ... I hope we're sometime after they invented ice makers."

"Or in Queen Calista's lifetime, _after_ we saved her the first time that is. Don't think I could prove myself as a hero right now if I had to." Razor shifted, his breath catching in his chest.

When the world had righted itself and the aching settled back down, T-Bone stood up again, this time with less speed. "I'm going to find some sticks to splint your leg."

"Don't go too far. I can't come find you if you pass out." Razor tried to joke. When he was alone, he allowed himself a small whimper of pain before checking his own glovatrix. It seemed in tact, but there were scratches in the paint and he was positive it had banged against the ground just as hard as the rest of his body. He tested it by attempting to release the collapsible shield. It whirred and whined but did nothing. "Come on," Razor encouraged, shaking his arm in frustration. The glovatrix popped and began to spark. "Fuck!" He gasped, twisting the gauntlet off, frowning as a small plume of smoke billowed up from the device.

Moments later, T-Bone returned with three thick, sturdy branches. "Yours is busted?"

"Yep," Razor pouted. "And yours is in one of those," he looked upward at the towering oak trees. T-Bone squinted up into the tree tops in hopes of seeing a speck of red or blue in the turning leaves. He lowered his eyes back to his partner, wondering how to hold the makeshift splint in place. His slightly unfocused eyes faltered on the heavy durable canvas harness meant to connect to a parachute. "Can you get this off?"

Razor nodded his head and began unfastening it. "Too bad we weren't in the Turbokat when this happened. Or this probably wouldn't have happened." He recoiled the moment he tried to lift his body to remove the harness, amber eyes wide with pain.

"Okay, hang on." T-Bone steadied Razor, working a paw behind his lower back. "On the count of three, I'll help you up so we can get this thing off of you."

Razor nodded his head, his breath coming out in short, rattling puffs.

"One," T-Bone hooked a paw under the canvas strap that crossed over his partner's thigh. "Two..."

As soon as he hit 'three', Razor pushed his hips upwards, trying not to cry out at the jarring pain shooting in all directions. What only took seconds seemed like hours before he was sitting on the ground, his back against the tree he'd been leaning against, panting as if he'd run an obstacle course.

T-Bone inspecting the adjusters on the harness and sighed. "You're going to be pissed."

"Why?" Razor asked as T-Bone pulled up the leg of his own flight suit and retrieved the knife he kept hidden there in case of emergency. The tabby didn't answer as he sliced through the durable material. "T-Bone! It took me weeks to find those!"

"Shh!" T-Bone glared, his ears flicking back as birds were startled by the outburst. "It's either this or I rip one of our flight suits and we don't know how cold it's going to get." He made quick work of arranging the sticks and strips of canvas. "You know this is going to hurt like a bitch, right?"

"Really?" Razor responded with sarcasm. "You gonna hold my paw?"

"And risk you breaking that too?" T-Bone smirked. "Not on your life." He held up the worn leather sheath for his knife. "Here."

Razor looked unsettled all of a sudden. "T-Bone..."

"Yeah?" T-Bone willed his own nerves to be still as the scent of his partner's fear filled his nose.

"I..."

"I'll be quick." The tabby reassured. "I've done this before."

"I know, but..." Razor remembered clearly the civilian T-Bone had helped, and how she'd been unconscious long before he'd set the broken bone. He shivered as he remembered the sound it had made. He'd never broken anything before.

"Bite down on the leather." T-Bone put a comforting paw on one of Razor's trembling shoulders. "Try not to scream." Still, the slender tom hesitated. "Razor," T-Bone ducked his head so that he could look his trembling friend in the eyes. "You trust me?"

"Yes," Razor said instantly.  
"Good." T-Bone squeezed the shoulder. "Take a deep breath. Think about something else."

Razor nodded his head and put the leather between his teeth. He took as deep a breath as his ribs would allow and slowly blew it out between his teeth and the sheath. T-Bone's paws moved from his shoulders to his leg. "On the count of three."

Razor nodded his head quickly.

"One..."

Razor's sharp teeth pierced the worn leather and he snarled loudly in his throat as pain reverberated from his leg all the way to his ears. There was a loud, sickening pop as the bones slipped back into place and he started to choke as he resisted the urge to empty his stomach. Tears streamed out of the corners of his eyes and he spat out the sheath. "Bastard," he rasped. "You said 'on three'."

T-Bone made quick but expert work of splinting the leg. "You were scared. I was afraid you'd try to move at the last second. It was better to catch you off guard."

"You're still..." Razor trailed off, erupting into a strangled fit of coughing. He jerked forward and dug his claws into the ground.

T-Bone grimaced, feeling the droplets fly from Razor's mouth to his exposed paws. "Jeez. Cover your mouth will ya?" He looked up, the irritation in his expression melting into one of concern as his partner wiped a stream of spit and blood from his lips.

"Sorry," Razor whimpered, oblivious to the blood.

"Okay. Let's move out of the open." T-Bone stood up slowly, testing his balance. The cool air helped to relieve the pain somewhat. At least enough that he was confident he'd be able to help Razor to the natural shelter.

Once he was upright, Razor was able to move. At least, he was able to move with one arm wrapped around T-Bone's waist for support. Beads of sweat formed beneath his mask and fur as they moved towards the overhang of roots and soil. "So... what's the... plan..." he panted.

"It's getting dark," T-Bone said. "We try to get some rest. And then, in the morning, we try to find some kind of civilization. Get an idea of where and when we are." It was surprisingly warmer under the shelter of the fallen tree. There was a moment of awkward movements and grunts as T-Bone helped Razor down onto the fallen leaves and twigs. "Comfy?"

"Su-sure," Razor instinctively leaned against T-Bone once the larger kat was sitting beside him, trying to pull the warmth from his body, urging his still racing heart to slow back to an acceptable pace.

T-Bone sighed as his friend snuggled into him. He wrapped a protective arm around the younger tom. It wasn't the first time he'd sought out the tabby's heat and comfort in a moment of great stress, and T-Bone had no doubt it wouldn't be the last. With one paw, he removed his helmet and then shifted to remove his partner's.

"I really hope we're somewhere remotely close to a normal village," T-Bone muttered to himself as he settled in against the soil.

* * *

_tbc..._


	2. Chapter 2

"Heathens..."

"Wha...?" T-Bone jerked awake. He'd sworn he'd heard a voice whispering in his ears. Wind rustled leaves near by. "Must've been the breeze," he sighed and carefully eased himself out from under Razor's body.

"What time is it?" Razor slurred tiredly.

T-Bone looked down at his furry exposed wrist. "Not a clue. If I had to guess..." He made a wavering motion with his paw. "Oh seven hundred or so."

Razor began to stretch, then grimaced as the motion pulled on his ribs.

"There's a stream." T-Bone said suddenly. "I didn't notice it yesterday, but I can hear the water now. We can follow it." He walked off away from Razor.

"Hey, where are you going?" Razor clumsily gripped onto a damp root and pulled himself up, fighting off the urge to cough as the motion required him to suck in a sharp breath.

"I have to pee," T-Bone called over his shoulder.

Razor leaned heavily against a tree while he looked around, his own need protesting loudly. He wondered for a moment if they were alone in the woods, and if they weren't, could whoever or whatever else was out there pick up their scent?

"In the stream," T-Bone said. "The water will mask your scent." He held out his paw so that he could help his partner over to where he'd emptied his own bladder. "I think I can smell smoke."

Razor twitched his nose in an effort to pick up the scent and frowned. T-Bone really was the better scout. Of course, T-Bone had actually taken survival training in the academy. Razor silently cursed himself for relying so much on modern conveniences. "You know, if my glovatrix wasn't broken," he glared out of the corner of his eyes. "I'd be able to get us out of this mess."

"Yeah well, it is." T-Bone tried not to grin. "What can I say? I told you so."

"I told you so?" Razor groaned. "I think there's a statute of limitations on 'I told you so'."

"You told me that we would never need survival training, that technology would prevent us from having to rely on old fashioned scouting techniques." T-Bone gave in and a wide smile spread across his face.

"Uh huh," Razor's face fell as he readjusted after relieving himself.

"_And_ here we are, without a single piece of functioning machinery to aid in our quest." T-Bone smirked. "Whatever shall we do?"

"Yeah. I get it." Razor sulked, unconsciously hugging his ribs. "I'm following your lead on this."

"Are you sure you're up for this?" T-Bone asked suddenly. "I can go find help and come back for you."

"I'm not letting you run around an unknown world without backup." Razor tried to keep his breaths short. Breathing deeply hurt and left him feeling winded.

"Alright. Then we're going to move slowly." T-Bone shifted so that he could support his friend as they began walking. "You know what this reminds me of?"

"What?" Razor was trying to keep his senses focused on their surroundings. He might not have been as good an outdoors-kat as T-Bone, but he was very observant and had a damn good memory. "What if we get lost?" He thought. "What if we starve to death?"

"When I was a kit, me and my dad used to go on all these hiking trips in the Appelkatians..."

Razor had heard the story before and he zoned it out as tried to recall his high school biology classes and remember what the plants were around them. The sturdy oaks and tall pines were easily recognizable, but there were smaller looking shrubs with tempting berries he was sure weren't meant to be eaten but couldn't remember their names.

Four very long winded stories later, the thick foliage gave way to a clearing with a cottage. Sure enough, smoke danced from the chimney.

"Told you I smelled smoke," T-Bone whispered.  
"What's that?" Razor unconsciously backed up, pulling T-Bone with him as he pointed at something a few feet away.

"A sapling." T-Bone tried not to laugh.

"No. Not that. _That_."

T-Bone followed Razor's pointing claw to a dark object hanging from the young tree, dripping onto the ground. "Stay here."

Razor leaned against the trunk of a tree while T-Bone inspected the strange sighting. His ears flicked back as he heard a rustling sound and he started to turn his head when a black furred paw clasped over his mouth and a blade was pushed against his throat.

"It looks like an organ of some sort," T-Bone said quietly, reaching a tentative paw towards what he had a feeling was a heart.

"Touch it," a female voice purred in an icy tone. "And the god's will be drinking his blood from the earth."

T-Bone looked up sharply. A black furred she-kat with long wavy raven hair and eyes the color of limes glared at him from behind his partner's back. "Easy, Miss. We don't mean any harm. We're just lost."  
She shot the tabby a doubtful look and pushed Razor forward. He cried out in pain as her paw jarred his ribs. The blade split the tender flesh over his throat ever so slightly, drawing a tiny bit of blood. "Lies," she hissed. "Filthy lies from the mouths of heathens. The gods will dine on your souls."

"I'm not lying," T-Bone held up his paws in a gesture of surrender. He eyed her rural clothing. "Do these look like the clothes of someone from around here?"

The she-kat fixed him with a cold, judging stare. "No," she conceded. "But the kats in the township are devious creatures."

"Megalith?" T-Bone asked hopefully.

"Megalith?" She repeated. "The kingdom of Megalith is centuries past."

Razor licked his lips as the pressure in his chest increased and tickled his throat. He shot T-Bone an apologetic look before dissolving into a fit of wheezing coughs. The she-kat's eyes widened and, in surprise, she loosened her hold on his throat, gasping when a spray of blood splashed against her billowing gray sleeves.

"Crud..." Razor choked out as he noted the red specks before him.

"Please," T-Bone suddenly begged. "He's hurt. We're lost. I swear on my life that we aren't a threat."

"How about on his?" She regained control of the sputtering tom and returned her knife to his throat.

"I give you my word." T-Bone inched forward.

"Ch-Ch-Ch..." Razor struggled, making a gurgling sound in his throat as he tried to speak. The tiny, but surprisingly strong arms supporting him suddenly were gone and he was toppling forward. A familiar warmth stopped the fall. "Ung..." he moaned before going limp.

The she-kat sighed loudly, clearly put out by this intrusion but unwilling to turn away a stranger that so pleadingly claimed not to be the enemy. If they truly were innocent, then the gods would smile upon her for offering her home to them. "Bring him inside," she whispered before moving towards the cottage door.

T-Bone tenderly scooped up his friend and carried him into the small but very warm home. A kettle was sitting atop a wood burning stove, while fire in the fireplace crackled peacefully. "You two will have to share a bed. If that is a problem, there is a small barn connected to the back of the house for the pigs. One of you can sleep in there."

"Sharing a bed isn't a problem." T-Bone tried not to resent being offered the same treatment as livestock.

"You can lay him in here." She pulled back a heavy blanket that acted as a doorway, revealing a down-filled bed topped with a couple of paw-stitched quilts. She tilted her head sideways in curiosity as the tabby gently laid his companion on top of the blankets before removing his helmet and mask and affectionately stroking his tangled hair.

"Shall I assume that the two of you are more than associates?"

T-Bone stiffened somewhat at the accusation. "Is that a problem in this world?"

"In this world?" Her eyes widened. "What do you mean by that?"

T-Bone's shoulders sagged. "I mean that we aren't from here, from this time." He closed his eyes as he heard the strained breathing coming from Razor. "He needs medical attention. I think one of his ribs has pierced his lung."

"From this time?" She moved into the room, a deep scowl on her face. "That foul little demon brought you here, didn't he? That heathen with the time piece?"

"If you mean the Pastmaster, then yes." T-Bone squeezed his eyes shut. He wanted to shake this she-kat until she followed his orders. "But we were fighting him, trying to remove him from our time."  
"He is from the Dark Ages? An evil sorcerer, no?"

"He's going to die," T-Bone said forcefully. "Can you help us or not?"

She approached the kat on the bed and rested her paws on his chest, feeling his lungs fill and empty. She lowered her ear to his mouth and listened. "His lungs are filling with blood, but slowly. It is a small puncture. We have time."

* * *

_tbc..._


	3. Chapter 3

T-Bone narrowed his eyes in worry. "Time for what?"

"To heal him." She replied with frustration. "Is that not what you want?"

"Yes but..."  
"I will need your help. Come with me."

T-Bone followed the strange she-kat out of the cottage to a small garden.

"I can heal his bones but it is a very painful process," she said as she picked up an old basket and began plucking specific herbs from the plot of maintained vegetation.

"How are you going to do that?" T-Bone was fairly certain the she-kat hunched over in front of him was no doctor.

"What are your names?" She asked suddenly.

"Why?" T-Bone replied defensively.

"How do you expect me to heal your friend if I don't know what to call him?"

"Razor. And I'm T-Bone."

She shook her head. "Those are not your names. They are too silly to be your names. Why are you hiding? Are you criminals?"

"No." T-Bone was growing more impatient by the minute. "We're heroes. We are hiding to protect ourselves from our enemies."

"But you unmasked your friend inside. Surely, after I've conceded my hospitality to you, you don't consider me to be an enemy."

T-Bone contemplated her words. "What's your name?"

"Ophelia Moonclaw." She replied without hesitation.

"Chance," he said. "And my friend in there is Jake."

"More than friend, he is. Your devotion to him and your need to protect him reflects off you like sunlight off polished stone." Ophelia finished selecting herbs. "I can heal him. And I can do it better than any doctor in the township." She led the masked kat back into her home.

Now that he'd given her his name, he removed his bandanna.

"How can I help?" Chance asked quietly.

"Can you boil water?" Ophelia asked with somewhat of a sarcastic smirk as she handed the tabby the empty kettle and pointed to a bucket from the well.

Chance sighed but filled the kettle and set it on the stove. He watched her curiously as she cleaned the herbs and wrapped them in cheesecloth. She tied it together with a piece of blue string. After setting it aside, Ophelia crossed the room to a large black cabinet with a lock on it. She pulled a chain from between her breasts and held up a key. To Chance, the key appeared ancient. Long and made of brass, unlike modern keys. Ophelia slipped it into the lock and opened the cabinet. She removed a small frosted glass jar and sat it on the wooden counter top. The kettle whistled and pulled a tin cup from a cupboard. After filling it with the hot water, she dropped in the sachet. Ophelia handed Chance the jar before she picked up a small cloth to carry the hot cup with.

Chance followed her to the small room where they'd left Jake resting.

"Chance," he choked weakly.

Chance shot Ophelia an anxious, worried look. She set the cup on the bureau and then went about lighting various candles neither toms had noticed before. Finally, she closed the curtains and fixed the cinnamon tom with an intense stare. "Remove your clothing."

"Wh-what?" Jake coughed, looking at Chance for support.

"Do as she says, Jake." Chance said gently, still holding the glass jar.

Jake struggled to sit up but the movement required too much effort and he began coughing and sputtering helplessly. Chance quickly sat down the jar and worked on removing Jake's flight suit.

"Sit with him so that you can hold him upright." Ophelia directed. "You might want to remove your own clothing as well so that the liniment won't soil it."

Still not trusting the strange she-kat, Chance stripped so that the top of his flight suit folded over and he was only topless. He slid behind Jake so that the smaller kat was sitting between his legs. Weakly, Jake leaned back against the tabby's chiseled torso, shuddering with each painful breath. Holding the steaming cup with one paw, Ophelia used the other to guide Chance's paws up to it. When he'd grasped it, she directed him to bring the cup to Jake's mouth.

"You need to drink this. Slowly. It will taste bitter and then you will writhe with pain." Ophelia's voice was softer than it had been since she'd first spotted them and taken the knife to Jake's throat. The injured tom shot her a disbelieving look. When Chance didn't move the cup from his mouth, Jake parted his bloodstained lips. Slowly, he began to drink the steaming liquid. At first, he choked on it's terrible taste.

"Infractus viscus quod poena , EGO dico super Senior iterum. Vigoratus is vulnus quod vigoratus is puteus , ut is may haud diutius habito. EGO dico super Era iterum iuvo vigoratus suus liberi , suus semen." Ophelia intoned, her eyes closed, and her paws hovering above his ribs. Jake arched his back, feeling an immense heat coming from her palms. When the cup was empty, he turned his head and whimpered, positive he felt his ribs shifting. "Broken flesh and pain, I call upon the Lord again. Heal this wound and heal it well, so that he may no longer dwell. I call upon the Lady again to help heal her children, her kin," she said again, in Latin as she had the first time. Jake kicked with his uninjured leg and twisted in Chance's firm hold. "Stop," he cried. "Please just stop!"

Chance squeezed his eyes shut, his heart aching at the pain he was aiding in causing. "I'm sorry," he whispered in Jake's ear. "I'm so sorry." He planted chaste kisses on the back of the whimpering tom's head while Ophelia worked her healing powers. Jake gasped as the heat from her paws moved from his chest down his body. It passed over his groin, causing his body to react involuntarily regardless of the pain. He shifted through his pain to try and hide the sudden tenting in his boxers but Chance held him fast. Ophelia worked her paws down his thigh to his lower leg. Fire shot through the muscle and into the bone and Jake screamed as if someone had driven a serrated blade into his flesh and twisted. "Oh God!" He shouted. "Stop! Chance!" His tormented scream turned into gut-wrenching sobs.

Chance didn't know when Ophelia had stopped torturing Jake, but at some point he felt her paw on his shoulder and he looked up. She held out the jar. "This is a liniment infused with pine needle oil. It will help clear the remaining fluids from his lungs. There are other oils in it as well to relieve pain and relax the muscles. Care for your friend while I prepare an evening meal." Chance watched her leave, pulling the blanket across the doorway as she went. He closed his eyes as Jake moaned and cried weakly in his arms, shaking near violently. "Shh," Chance breathed in his ear, shifting to make Jake more comfortable while he opened the jar. The scent was unlike anything the tabby had ever smelled before. "Huh," he said. It certainly wasn't a bad smell. Tentatively, he dipped his fingers in the balm, finding it to be cold. He rubbed it between his fingers and was quickly rewarded with a warming sensation. "This is going to be cold at first," he warned. As expected, Jake flinched at the chilly wetness on his back. Then, as Chance worked the balm through his fur and into his flesh, heat spread across the muscles, bringing their aggravated twitching to a halt. As he went about easing his lover's aches and pains, Chance found his head clouding with desire. Tenderly, he nipped at Jake's neck and jawline, working his paws around to his chest, making sure to spread the liniment over his ribs as well. Jake let out a whimper of a completely different nature when one of Chance's sharp claws grazed one of his erect nipples, shivering as the tabby's breath ghosted across the side of his neck. Chance licked his lips hungrily as he moved his touch lower, feeling Jake's toned abdomen beneath his soft reddish brown fur. As he grazed the elastic waistband on his underwear, he remembered the cry of agony Jake had released when Ophelia tended to his leg and he moved from behind him. Jake made a needy, hungry sound. "Shh," Chance gently gripped Jake's chin in his paw. "Let me take away your pain." He eased Jake down onto his back before scooping some more of the soothing balm into his paw.

Jake's calf muscles were something to be admired. The slender tom was a born sprinter, and, even with the remaining swelling, Chance could feel the contour of the well-formed muscle beneath his careful paws. He started over where the bones had broken and worked upward from there to his thigh, stopping dangerously close to where he longed to touch and then moving back down, gently massaging the muscles and ligaments as he went. With a firm touch, because Jake was ticklish, Chance took his foot into his paws and worked between the tarcals and metatarcals. "Uhmmrrr..." Jake purred deeply, a sound that caused Chance to release his hold on the limb. He moved onto his knees and leaned over Jake, kissing him with a passion he usually reserved for only when they were in the comfort and safety of their own home. He could feel his lover's purring in his mouth as he tasted Jake's tongue. Their arousal separated by too much fabric, Chance freed himself from the remainder of his flight suit, kicking it carelessly to the floor. Then he made quick work of removing the lone article of clothing still covering Jake. He paused, his massive blond paw fondling him.

"What's wrong?" Jake shifted his hips, desperate with need.

"It's just that, an hour ago, you were coughing up blood and barely conscious... and now...." Chance let his eyes travel the expanse of exposed fur. He wasn't the sentimental type. That was Jake's job. Jake was the one who often let his emotions pull him to and fro. But faced with the thought of his lover's mortality, the strong-willed tabby found himself unsure of his next move. Did he take Jake hard and fast like always? Or did he need to be more careful?

Jake shivered at the vulnerable look he'd never seen before in Chance's crystal blue eyes. When one of those paws he normally found warm and comforting trembled as it caressed his cheek, he became overwhelmed. "Chance..."

Chance silenced him with a tender kiss, tugging softly on his bottom lip with his teeth. Deftly, he worked one of his paws underneath Jake's tail to massage him, an unnecessary action, but one that he felt was required of him in that moment. Jake let his eyes fall closed with pleasure while Chance prepped him with a care he was certain he'd never felt before. It both unnerved him and drove him mad with desire. Chance rested his forehead against Jake's, their breaths meeting in the narrow gap between their slightly open mouths. "Jake," he whispered, removing his paw and readying himself.

Jake met Chance's eyes but didn't say anything.

"You know I love you, right?"

Jake nodded his head dumbly, gasping slightly as Chance slipped into him with practiced ease while being more gentle than he'd ever been. Chance was the strong silent type, never confessing such deep feelings aloud.

"Tell me," Chance shifted Jake's hips so that he could remain so close to his face while he worked in and out with slow, precise movements. "Because if I lost you and thought for even a second that you thought you didn't matter to me, I don't think..."

"Chance," Jake could feel him shivering all over. "I haven't doubted your feelings for me in a very long time."

"I need to hear it, Jake." Chance buried his face in Jake's neck.

"I know you love me," Jake obliged. "And I love you." He gave a gasp of surprise as Chance stilled inside of him and he felt the throbbing that came with climax.

"Sorry," Chance apologized. He never came first, and never so soon.

Jake cupped his face in his paws and forced him to look up. "You don't have to..." He trailed off as he suddenly became overwhelmed with a tightness in his chest. Chance moved so fast, Jake didn't even feel him pull out before he started coughing, struggling as his lungs fought to expel the blood they had collected. Chance forcefully patted Jake on the back, hoping to break up the congestion. When the coughing turned to choking and then gagging, Chance leaped out of the bed to grab the wash basin. Jake coughed up blood like a nearly drowned kat coughs up water. Unnerved, Chance quickly dressed and darted out of the room. "Ophelia!"

The mysterious she-kat paused in her cooking to console the startled kat. "Yes?"

"He's coughing up blood again, Ophelia! I thought you said you'd heal him!" Chance snapped.

"I did. As I said, there was already blood in his lungs when I healed him. His body has to reject it." Ophelia ignored the tom's outburst.

"But he..."

"He will be fine. The wounds are corrected. The body needs to heal." Ophelia pointed back to the room where they both could clearly hear Jake struggling to clear his lungs. "Go to him."

Chance shot Ophelia a hateful look before retreating back to the bedroom. His eyes settled on the white porcelain basin now stained bright red. Jake had his head bowed and was panting heavily. "Hey," Chance whispered, sliding next to Jake and rubbing a paw between his taught shoulder blades. "You alright?"

Jake gave a jerky nod before collapsing against Chance's broad chest. He felt the basin removed from his grasp and then the warm blankets pulled on top of him. Chance shimmied back out of his clothes and curled up beside Jake, holding him protectively.

* * *

_tbc..._


	4. Chapter 4

Jake woke up to an empty bed and beams of sunlight stretching across the blankets. "Chance," he whispered hoarsely, his throat sore from coughing. He tried to push himself up only to find his body felt like lead. He gripped the soft blanket tightly as a shot of pain arched through him. The blanket covering the doorway slid open, startling Jake. Chance came in carrying a steaming cup in one paw and a small plate in the other. "I thought you might be hungry since you didn't eat any of the stew Ophelia made last night." He sat slowly on the edge of the bed. "She said this would help soothe your throat." Chance sat the cup of tea and the plate down before helping Jake into a sitting position. "How do you feel?"  
"Weak," Jake whispered.

"You haven't really eaten since before the Pastmaster attacked." Chance sat the small plate in Jake's lap. "Just some bread. She said you should eat light."

Jake nodded his head tiredly but only stared at the thick slices of bread. It smelled fresh. "What are we going to do, Chance?"

Chance sighed as he wrapped a comforting arm around Jake. "We'll figure something out. Ophelia's gone into the township to get word of any attacks."

"She knows magic," Jake rested his head on Chance's shoulder. "Think she can get us home?"

"I don't know." Chance exhaled slowly. "We talked after you'd fallen asleep. And we're in a time period where it isn't safe for her to perform any kind of ritual. Witches are burned here."

"Sixteen hundreds?" Jake asked.

"Seventeen hundreds." Chance brought his paw up to gently scratch between Jake's ears. "She's got clothes that belonged to her brother, but I'm not sure how to explain our presence to a town full of suspicious conservatives without risking getting one of us hanged." He felt Jake's muscles tense at the comment.

"What if we brought Ophelia home with us?" Jake murmured.

"We could risk altering the future." Chance replied, reaching for the cup of tea. "This probably isn't very good cold. You need to drink it."  
Jake took the cup in his paws and studied the dark lemon scented liquid. He took a tentative sip and tasted honey. The warmth of the drink only seemed to add to his lethargy and his eyes began to drift closed. Chance carefully removed the cup from Jake's paws before it could spill. Jake coughed weakly and moaned as pain rippled through his body. Chance gently ran his claws through Jake's fur. It was slightly oily from the liniment he'd applied the night before. "You need a bath," he purred into his ear.

"Speak for yourself," Jake teased quietly.

Chance chuckled and continued his soothing scratching until he heard the sound of a horse followed by the front door of the cottage opening.

"Are you decent?" Ophelia called throughout her home.

"Yes," Chance replied. Since it was a small cottage, it was only a few seconds before she appeared in the open doorway.

"I found this strange item in the forest. Does it belong to you?" Ophelia held up the glovatrix.

"It's mine," Jake rasped.

"It would be best to keep such mysterious items out of sight. The townsfolk aren't very accepting of the strange. And this business with this Pastmaster of yours has them speaking of the end of times." Ophelia eyed the untouched slices of bread. "I heard a tale of a strange creature lurking around the falls. Could this demon that brought you here be searching for something?"

Chance made a confused face. "Not unless there is something that could aid in his control of the city and bringing it back to the dark ages. Or help him to marry Queen Calista."

At the mention of the legendary queen, Ophelia's green eyes widened. "Her bloodline still exists in this time. There is a beautiful she-kat by the name of Carolyn, but it was rumored she was a witch and she went into hiding. I suppose she could be hiding near the falls. I've heard the story of secret passages behind the great waterfall that the native Katachi Indians used to hunt or to steal kittens in the night."

Ophelia tilted her head and studied Jake for a moment. "You look somewhat like the Katachi. I suppose this means we don't kill them all off?"

Both Jake and Chance winced at the mention of a terrible blight in the history of Megakat City, the wars between the colonists and the natives. "You do a good job," Jake whispered. It was a sore subject in his family. His grandfather had been full Katachi, and his grandmother had enough in her blood so that enough of the characteristics had reached Jake. "There aren't many kats in our time that aren't a mixed breed of sorts."

"I hope that things really aren't as dreadful as you make them sound," Ophelia was visibly shaken by the idea. Even someone so shunned by the city for her powers knew the importance of keeping your breed pure. "Eat," she said suddenly. "You will need your strength. I will prepare you a bath. And while you bathe, I will find more appropriate clothing."

Ophelia left the two toms and returned to the main living area of the house. She filled the large kettle on the fire with water and went out to the well to fill the bucket again. The fresh water from the well was set aside while the water on the fire was heated. Ophelia went to the back of the house and opened the door. It led to a small covered back porch that housed a metal tub. The room was cold, so she left the door open so that some of the heat from the house could come in while she set out a towel, some homemade apple cinnamon soap and a washrag. Returning to the front of the cottage, Ophelia removed the kettle from the fire and took the boiling water to the tub, then she returned the kettle to the fire and added the rest of the water. After a few trips back and forth, she returned to her guests. "Hurry, before the water gets cold."

Chance pulled the blankets back and froze, gaping at Jake's leg. The swelling was all but gone and, aside from some discoloration visible through the fur, it appeared as if it had never been broken. "Whoa," he breathed out in shock. "That's..."  
"Stop staring and come on," Ophelia said impatiently.

The tabby couldn't help the smile that spread across his large face as he helped Jake up. Jake swayed unsteadily and held onto Chance for the short walk to the small wash room. The tub was small but deep. Definitely not built for two. "I'm sure you can handle this." Ophelia said quietly and slipped out of the room.

"Can you handle this on your own or do you need help?" Chance asked quietly as Jake peeled off his boxers and supported himself on the wall while he lifted one of his legs to step into the tub.

"It will take less time if I do it." Jake teased and picked up the soap, sniffing it curiously. "This smells like cereal."

Chance snorted in amusement before turning to leave. Jake slid slowly beneath the water and then back up before putting soap to fur. He scrubbed his head and face and neck and then stretched to get his back as best he could. His ribs were still very tender but felt more bruised than broken. Still, he gently glided the soap over the soft fur and used his claws to work it in. By the time he was ducking under the water again to remove the soap, Chance was returning with an arm full of clothing.

"Is that water still warm?" Chance asked, admiring his mate's toned body as he stood.

"Mostly," Jake scrubbed his wet fur with the towel. It wasn't nearly as effective as a dryer, but it would have to do.

Chance stripped down and stepped into the cooling water. It was just warm enough to encourage the tabby to be quick. He shot Jake a lusty look as the slender tom wrapped the towel around his waist and began to examine the clothing. The shirt was white and made out of what Jake could only presume was linen. There was a darker colored vest and a pair of pants. He fought the urge to comment on how stupid they were going to look because, regardless of how silly the period clothing appeared, it was important that they didn't stand out.

"You look kind of like a pirate," Chance said after rinsing himself off. "The clothes are a little big, though."  
"Yeah well..." Jake trailed off, handing Chance the towel he'd used. "Hope no one really thinks I am a pirate."

Chance smirked.

"What?" Jake crossed his arms over his chest. "Dreaming about a little roll playing?"

"Just thinking about how I'd plunder your booty."

Jake tried to give Chance a serious, offended look, but the desire to laugh at the terribly lame line won out and he snorted loudly. "Get dressed, Chance." He shook his head before slipping out of the room.

"You fill my brother's clothes well, Chance." Ophelia complimented when Chance came into the main room. She had a needle and thread and was hemming Jake's clothing so that it fit a little better. "I hope the shoes are bearable. We have quite a walk to the falls."

"What exactly are we looking for?" Jake asked, now more lucid than he'd been when Chance spoke to him earlier.

"Something the Pastmaster would want." Chance said. "And possibly our ticket home."

"Or someone. If Queen Calista from the days of Megalith was so important to this demon, then Carolyn could be the key." Ophelia added. "It's a pity you both are so attached to each other, and so bent on returning to your land." She straightened her back. "You look quite dashing and you'd both make a fine catch."

Jake blushed deeply at the compliment while Chance chuckled loudly.

"Have I missed the joke?" Ophelia looked sharply at the tabby.

"No. No, it's just that..." Chance reigned in his laughter. "The thought of Jake and a she-kat... it just wouldn't work at all."

Jake ducked his head in embarrassment. "Are we ready to get started?"

"Indeed we are." Ophelia draped a shawl around her shoulders and buttoned it in front of her breast to cover the modest view of her cleavage. Then she picked up a rucksack and handed it to Chance. "This will be a very long journey and we may need to stop and rest. There are coats hanging by the door. I suggest you take them. It gets very cold in the woods at night." She hesitated before handing another sack to Jake, as if to determine whether he was well enough to manage the weight. In the end, she placed the burlap satchel in his paws and turned to leave the cottage.

* * *

_tbc..._


	5. Chapter 5

"Why is there a heart tied to a tree in your yard?" Chance asked after they'd begun their trek through the forest.

"It's a sacrifice to the gods and goddesses." Ophelia replied softly.

"Not a kat, I hope." Jake added, swallowing the nervous feeling it gave him.

"It belongs to a wolf," Ophelia responded. "I was not hunting it, however. It was hunting me." She lifted her dress an inch above the ground so that the shift wouldn't catch the sticks and drag them along. "My brother died merely a fort night ago, and the loss of my only family has been devastating. In my grief, I often found myself wandering the woods at night, seeking guidance from the stars and the moon. One night, I tripped over a root and looked up to find a pack of hungry wolves circling me." Ophelia's voice was quiet as she spoke. "I carry my father's dagger wherever I go, and I was fortunate to have the good sense to take it with me that night. As I looked into one of the savage beast's yellow eyes, I pleaded for my life. It leaned in closer and closer and I could smell the hunger on its breath. As it lunged, so did I and I drove my dagger into it's throat. It is not a pack's normal behavior to run when one of their own is wounded, but they did just that. As a thank you to the gods for their protection, I cut out the wolf's heart and hung it from one of their gifts to us."

Chance shot Jake a disturbed look. "You have some strange superstitions," he said.

"Do you not have your own beliefs?" Ophelia's tail twitched with curiosity.

"I believe in luck." Chance shrugged, pulling a silver chain out from under his shirt, revealing a coin with a hole punched in it. "My father wore this every day while he was a pilot and never fatally crashed."

"And you?" Ophelia asked Jake.

"No charms here. My grandmother had some strange beliefs though. I remember once when I was a kitten, I had this really bad dream and she made me put a pair of scissors under my pillow." Jake gave a sad smile at the memory.

"But nothing that speaks of your devotion to the higher powers?" Ophelia blinked in surprise. Both kats shook their heads. They drifted into an awkward silence as they quietly, but quickly moved through the forest.

Chance wasn't sure exactly how long they'd been walking. The sun was much higher in the sky and starting to move in front of them. Jake made an uncomfortable sound and he turned to look at his mate. The smaller tom had fallen a few steps behind Chance and was limping, a clear sign that, while he had healed quite a lot, he was still in some pain. "Maybe we should take a break," he suggested.

Ophelia nodded her head. "I was going to make the same suggestion. Just a little further and we'll be in a better place, somewhere we can build a fire. It's two days to the falls. We are nearing the halfway mark."

Chance sighed at the she-kats way of saying 'just a little longer' and slowed so that Jake could catch up to him. Wordlessly, he tugged the pack free of his lover's shoulder so that he was carrying both packs. The tabby maintained his slower pace. Ophelia slowed just as well, though it was clear by her posture that she was impatient.

As the forest grew more shadowed and the stream they'd been following became much wider, the trees gave way to a small clearing. "This is where we will rest tonight." Ophelia said simply, standing near the edge of the stream. The currents were faster in this part. "A poor place to catch fish," she thought. Behind her, she could hear the sounds of one of the strangers making a spot for a fire. She wondered briefly if she'd be able to hunt any game before it got too dark.

Chance arranged the sticks and branches Jake had found and used a flint stone that Ophelia had packed to start a fire. Then he moved over to where his partner was sitting and staring at the water. "What's the view like?"

"Huh?" Jake asked. "What view?"

"From up there in the clouds." Chance teased.

Jake shook his head. "Just wondering what happens to all of this. We both know how far you have to go to find this kind of atmosphere."

"Well, if the falls are where I think they are, then that's where that mill was built a hundred years or so ago. From what I understand, the industry destroyed the environment and that area of land was pretty much whittled down to nothing for the foundations of several factories." Chance scratched his chin as he thought. He watched Ophelia moving from the stream back to the edge of the forest. "Where are you going?"

"To find dinner," she said simply.

"She scares me a little," Jake whispered when she was gone.

"Why?"

"The laws of science are practically set in stone, and she has the power to change them." He pulled one of his legs up to rest his chin on his knee.

"She saved your life." Chance reminded. "That bothers you?"

Jake didn't miss the flash of anger across the blond face he adored so much. "I'm not saying I'm not grateful," he frowned. "I'm just saying it's hard to trust someone that can do what science says can't be done."

"You know, after all we've seen, after all we've been through, you'd think you'd have less trouble abandoning your misgivings about the occult." Chance sighed.

"There's a difference between stupid parlor tricks and the Pastmaster." Jake replied. "Superstitions and Ouija boards are pathetic wanna-be attempts at the power that little troll has."

"Ouija boards are real," Chance defended, receiving a somewhat annoyed look from Jake. "Have you ever used one?"

"Nope," Jake replied quietly.

"Good." Chance shuddered.

"It's the power of suggestion, Chance. It creates an atmosphere that tricks the mind into thinking you've conjured the dead." Jake explained.

"Never mind all that," Chance sighed, clearly irritated with the sudden discussion. "We need to worry about what we're going to do when we find what Pasty's looking for." One of Jake's flaws as an inventor and a genius was his doubt in what couldn't be explained. 'It must be frustrating,' he thought. 'To have to accept the Pastmaster's existence when everything you believe goes against it.'

Jake stared into the fire. "I have no idea," he muttered. "It really all depends on what it is he's after. If it's this Carolyn she-kat, then maybe we need to persuade her to use her powers against him. If it's an actual object... what? Hold it for ransom until he takes us back to our time and then kick his tail?"

There was a snap in the woods and both kats looked up. Ophelia's clothes were barely visible in the fading light. She was carrying a bundle in her arms, wrapped in one of the sacks they'd brought, it's previous contents having been left on the ground in their camp.

"That was fast," Chance stated.

"Lucky is more like it," Ophelia laid the sack on the ground, exposing a rabbit, it's neck twisted violently.

Jake wondered what disturbed him more: the innocent furry animal laying prone in front of Ophelia, or the hungry look in Chance's eyes as he offered his knife to skin it. He squeezed his eyes shut and tried to block out the sound of blade cutting flesh and the smell of blood tickling his nostrils. Chance might have grown up in a family that hiked and hunted, but Jake had never eaten any kind of meat that didn't come from the grocery store. Chance must have sensed his unease.

"Why don't you go get some more wood for the fire," he asked quietly. Jake immediately got to his feet and left the two alone with the poor woodland creature.

Jake had been contemplating giving up meat in general when he returned to the most amazing smell he'd ever encountered. His eyes landed on the crafty spit fashioned above the fire where the small animal was roasting. His stomach growled, protesting against his previous desires not to eat any of the rabbit. He sat the branches down away from the fire and settled himself back onto the soft ground.

Their bellies full of rabbit meat, the three settled in near the fire to sleep. Jake gave Ophelia the coat he'd been wearing to cover up in while he snuggled under the one Chance wore, curled up closely to his lover's warm body. Chance shifted so that Jake's head was resting in the crook of his arm with an arm over his stomach, his slender body pressed against his hip and his ribs. He tilted his head and nudged Jake's cheek affectionately with his nose, earning a quiet purr of contentment. Exhausted from their long walk, they both fell into a deep sleep.

* * *

-Snap-

Chance woke up with a start. It was early morning and everything was gray. Slowly, soundlessly, he sat up, maneuvering Jake in the process. He saw Ophelia was awake, looking around for whatever had created the sound. Chance shuddered. He had that feeling of eyes upon him. "Someone's watching us," he whispered.

"We are in Katachi territory," she nearly mouthed back. "I'd be surprised if they weren't watching us."

Chance stiffened. He'd heard stories that the Katachi were once a brutal tribe. "Are we in danger?"

Ophelia stood up slowly. "Wake your friend," she said. "Yudhajit!"

Chance's eyes widened at the shout, his paw hovering just above Jake's arm. He didn't need to wake him. Ophelia had done it for him. A slender red-furred tom stepped out of the shadows. He wore clothing made of deerskin and had a strip of leather tied around his head, from which a few feathers and beads hung. He held out a paw and called out something over his shoulder.

"Moonclaw," he purred. "Your presence in our lands is a great surprise."

"You saw the smoke from the fire, no doubt." Ophelia wasn't afraid of the native.

"We feared the colonists were going to attack." Yudhajit said, his deep gaze falling on the two toms. He fixated on the one whose coloring was similar to his own. "Hunting?"

"Sort of," Ophelia replied. "But not for anything of this world."  
At that, Yudhajit looked up. "Do you also seek the stone of Ashutosh?"

"We aren't sure what we are seeking." Ophelia confessed. "We thought that perhaps whatever brought the demon here was hidden in the falls."

Yudhajit nodded. "That evil has spilled our blood. You are not one to cause undeserved harm, Moonclaw. What purpose will this evil serve you?"

"Not me," Ophelia raised her arm and pointed at Chance and Jake. "Them."

Yudhajit tilted his head and studied the two toms. "What purpose will it serve _you_?"

"It's our way home." Chance replied.

Yudhajit's eyes widened and he turned to the woods and shouted something in his native tongue. "You are the ones who fell from the sky. You can stop this evil?"

"We can try," Jake sighed. "But we don't exactly have the tools to do it."

Several other similarly dressed natives came out of the shadows. "You must come with us." Yudhajit said. "You already possess the tools."

* * *

_tbc..._


	6. Chapter 6

If the Swat Kats had any doubts of the time period they'd ended up in, they were all squashed when they reached the Katachi camp. Huts fashioned out of animal skins and decorated with earthen paintings extended throughout the clearing, forming a u-shape as it arched and came back around. Several small fires smoldered outside the huts. A much larger, still burning fire rested outside the farthest one. Yudhajit shouted something in his native tongue, drawing the attention of every kat present. Kittens wearing either little more than a loincloth or that and a strip to cover their torso paused in their playing to stare in wonder. A plump she-kat with a large blanket wrapped around her upper body approached. As she neared, it became clear that there was an infant sleeping within the confines of the fabric. With an arm raised to support the bundle, she bowed slightly and said something in her language.

"Ayushi has invited us to share a meal." Yudhajit translated, bowing in return and whispering something back to her. Her amber eyes widened and she quickly darted away. "Come," he said simply.

Ophelia appeared at ease in the camp. Chance gave her a curious look. "You've been here before?" He asked suspiciously.

"Many times," Ophelia replied. "I am a great friend to the Katachi. In many ways, we are fighting the same battle for acceptance."

"So we can trust them to help us?" Chance asked as his eyes darted around, taking in the natives, their expressions of awe despite their normal attire.

"Most certainly," Ophelia said with a mysterious smile. "And it would be in your best interest to do just that." She tilted her head at Jake, forcing the tabby to realize that most of the Katachi were staring at his lover with something akin to reverence. Chance, feeling uneasy, moved closer to Jake, signifying his protection of the smaller tom.

Yudhajit motioned for them to sit on the brown skins covering the hard ground surrounding the fire. As they did, Ayushi returned. She said something in a commanding tone to a group of young she-kittens and they approached the guests carrying bread bowls filled with steaming meat and wild onions. Jake and Chance looked to Ophelia and Yudhajit for confirmation before taking the bowls. Unsure of how to thank the young servers, the two toms dipped their heads in a slight bow. The she-kittens giggled and scampered off. Ayushi shouted after them before bowing to the guests and leaving them to eat.

"What exactly is this stone of Ashutosh?" Jake asked as he hesitantly tasted the meal he'd been given.

Yudhajit fixed Jake with a curious stare. "I am surprised that you know so little of Ashutosh. You are clearly a descendant."

Jake choked as he inadvertently sucked a chunk of red meat down his throat. "Say... say what?" He coughed.

"Are you not Katachi?" Yudhajit tilted his head in surprise. He'd been sure of what he'd seen when he'd noticed the strange tom.

"Not entirely." Jake replied.

"But you are the same. Ashutosh screams from your spirit. You have yet to acknowledge her power." Yudhajit said pointedly. He then sighed and leaned back against a log on the ground behind him. "In the time of our ancestors, there was a great warrior she-kat. Her name was Ashutosh and she controlled the power of the spirits in her paws." His eyes clouded over as he told the story. "Her power was such that no force of evil could stand in her path. The Katachi lived a great life during her time in this world. There was another warrior called Jishnu. He was fast like the wind and his arrows never missed their goal. Ashutosh loved Jishnu and bore him many sons. They brought peace and plentiful harvests to the Katachi." Yudhajit's eyes narrowed into dark slits. "But like all great times, tragedy lurks in the dark like a hungry beast. There was another tribe. The Claweekee. They were upset by the Katachi's simple life and wanted to take it away. So they sent their own powerful warrior. Kuckunniwi had the skills of the dark spirits and his heart was black as the sky on nights when the moon hides. Kuckunniwi took Jishnu and bargained his soul for hers. Ashutosh became angry and told Kuckunniwi that only the earth could have her soul. Kuckunniwi was furious that she refused and he killed Jishnu. Ashutosh cursed Kuckunniwi as he tried to pull her soul from her grieving body. Her soul rejected Kuckunniwi's body and was sucked into a beautiful blue stone that hung around his neck. Her final words warning Kuckunniwi that if he tried to use her power, he would die. But he was foolish and greedy. He tried to overpower the Katachi, but as he tried to wield the stone, it burned his flesh. Kuckunniwi screamed in pain as his skin began to fall from his bones. As he died, he cast the stone to the earth and it was swallowed up. It is said that only the descendants of Ashutosh can wield the power of the stone without being destroyed by its curse."

Jake gave Yudhajit a skeptical look. "What makes you so certain that I can use it?"

"There is another story. It is said that one day, Kuckunniwi's spirit will return in the body of a troll and he will attempt to use the stone to take control of our world. And, when he did, Ashutosh would send a warrior of her blood to save us from his destruction. There is an evil lurking near Shiriki Falls. They are named for the oldest son of Ashutosh, for he lead the Katachi away from the Claweekee's destruction. Whatever is there, he cannot touch and he has taken several of our tribe in hopes of reaching whatever it is. But the Katachi are not foolish enough and would rather die at the paws of a traitor than by the curse. The sky opened up the day this demon took the lives of twelve of our kats. And it is rumored that two warriors fell from the heavens. Of the two, you," he nodded at Jake. "Are the only one of Katachi blood."

"What if it isn't Jake?" Chance protested. "He could die."

"I am certain, but there is a way to prove your bloodline." Yudhajit replied.

"Hang on." Jake shook his head. "There are other things to think about. What about this Carolyn that Ophelia told us about? If she's a descendant of Queen Calista, then the Pastmaster would be looking for her, not some enchanted stone."

"The white witch _is_ very powerful, but her magic is not strong enough to control the spirit world." Yudhajit disputed.

"The spirit world?" Chance looked up sharply. "The stone of Ashutosh can control the spirit world?"

"Yes." Yudhajit looked confused.

"Crud," Chance groaned. "Jake. The Pastmaster is trying to get to Calista in the spirit world!"

"Chance, that's ridiculous," Jake frowned.

"If the Pastmaster can get into the spirit world, could he change the course of history?" Chance asked.

"Of course," Yudhajit said.

"But why?" Jake asked. "Why go into this 'spirit world' when he can just go back to the dark ages?"

"What if he can't get back to the dark ages?" Chance pondered. "Then he'd have to find another way to get what he wants. If Jake really is a descendant of Ashutosh and he can wield the stone, can we go into the spirit world and stop him?"

"Jake will be the only one for you would surely die." Yudhajit replied.

"But he can't get into the spirit world," Jake argued. "Yudhajit just said that only someone related to Ashutosh can and he isn't related to Ashutosh."

"There are other ways to get into the spirit world. The white witch might not be powerful enough to control the spirit world, but even Ophelia can open a portal and the white witch is far more powerful than she is."

Ophelia snorted quietly at the statement. Up until that moment, she'd remained silent. "He's right. Carolyn went into hiding because her powers were so great, the colonists were going to burn her at the stake."

"She couldn't overpower them?" Chance asked.

"Carolyn might be powerful, but she is not mean spirited. Her heart is gold." Ophelia defended.

"Could the Pastmaster's watch control the spirit world?" Chance asked Jake.

"It can control everything else." Jake replied. "I don't see why not."

"Then he wouldn't need the stone. Just Carolyn." Chance surmised.

"But to stop him, we _would_ need the stone." Jake sighed. "Look, I'm not doing this without some kind of proof that I _am_ a descendant."

Yudhajit nodded and stood up, leaving the two toms and Ophelia by the fire.

"Where's he going?" Chance asked.

"To get the Shaman," Ophelia practically whispered.

They lapsed into silence while Yudhajit disappeared into a hut that seemed removed from the others. After some time, he exited the hut and began walking back over to the fire.

"Come," he held out a paw to Jake.

Jake shot Chance an uneasy look and the tabby started to stand. Yudhajit held up his other paw, telling Chance to stop.

"Wait," Jake's eyes widened.

"Trust him," Ophelia said softly.

"But..." Again, Jake hesitated.

"Wahchinksapa is not a kat to keep waiting. Your fear is understandable, but is unnecessary." Yudhajit met Jake's eyes, trying to convey the truth in his words.

Resigned to his fate, Jake heaved a deep breath, shot his lover one last longing look, and allowed Yudhajit to lead him to the deerskin hut. He ducked through the entrance and was greeted with the smell of some kind of incense or burning herb. It was strong and made his head feel light. As his eyes adjusted to the smokey dark, he became aware of an elderly tom, wearing no more than a loin cloth. Around his neck were several trinkets: bones tied to strips of leather, beads and bells, teeth and feathers. His fur was the color of rust but his hair was an amazing shade of silver, adorned with feathers and beads as well.

"Wahchinksapa wishes to awaken your spirit to the powers that rest within you." Yudhajit whispered in translation as the Shaman began to speak. "Words will only go so far here. He asks me to leave."

"How will I know what to do?" Jake whispered back.

"You will know." Yudhajit smiled. "You will know."

Jake watched Yudhajit leave the hut before slowly turning to look at the Shaman. Wahchinksapa smiled a toothless grin at Jake and lifted a smoldering pipe to his lips. He took a long puff off of it and held it in while he handed the pipe to Jake. He held up his paw, ticking off the seconds on his claws before releasing the acrid smoke from his lungs. Jake looked at the pipe nervously before following suit, making sure to hold it in for a four count. His head was swimming by the time he exhaled and he sank his claws into the soft dirt floor to remain upright.

Wahchinksapa chuckled and said something in his own language as he lifted a bowl to his lips. He made a drinking motion, though it was clear he didn't actually drink anything. Jake took the bowl when it was offered to him. He sniffed the liquid cautiously. It smelled like some sort of tea. He took a tentative sip. As he started to bring the bowl down, Wahchinksapa spoke again, moving his paws, urging Jake to keep drinking until the bowl was empty. Jake sucked in a sharp breath as his head became heavy and he heard drums. It was as if someone was sitting right in front of him, beating out a war march. The world around him became blurry until he could see nothing and his pulse pounded in tune with the percussion in his head.

* * *

_tbc..._


	7. Chapter 7

The wind swept over Jake's naked body, fluffing his fur and filling his nose with the scent of dandelions. His eyes fluttered open and he found himself staring up at the most magnificent blue sky he'd ever seen. The grass beneath his back was soft and plush. He stretched and sighed, feeling completely comfortable despite his nudity. A smile graced his lips as he remembered a time when his relationship with Chance was still new, and they couldn't spend any amount of time around each other without petting or touching. They'd gone to the park and were lying in the grass. Chance had started to nibble on his ear and grope him through his jeans. Jake had laughed shyly and suggested they go somewhere less open to the public. So Chance had taken him by the paws and led him into a small line of trees. Jake licked his lips as he remembered the way the bark felt against his paws and the part of his abdomen that had been exposed while his pants were down. He'd marked that tree with his claws and again with his seed. Jake groaned as the memory slipped away and the air around him cooled. He opened his eyes again and found the beautiful sky was now a palette of grays, greens, and purples. The calming wind became tumultuous and he gasped, sitting up and curling in on himself against the sting. A sharp cry pierced the howling gusts, causing Jake to look up. A falcon circled gracefully, unaffected by the wind currents. It cawed and lighted near his feet, its beady eyes staring deep into his soul. 

"_I have waited a long time for you, my child," it spoke in a female tone. The air around them crackled with energy as the falcon's body began to glow and transform. It was as if a she-kat had been folded into the bird of prey. She stretched and arched her toned body as she unfurled and stood. _

_Jake mapped her body with his eyes. Never in his life had he been attracted to a she-kat, and even as he sat there, it was clear in his nakedness that he still wasn't turned on. Still, he couldn't deny her awesome beauty. "Do you understand why you are here?" She knelt before him. _

_Jake shook his head slowly. _

"_This is your awakening." She offered a comforting smile. _

_Try as he might, Jake couldn't seem to figure out why she was so important. She held out a paw. He studied it; his brain screaming to question why. As if his limbs had a mind of their own, his paw grasped hers and he stood. She took his other paw so that she was holding both of his, her honey colored eyes still locked with his. The wind was so violent now that he couldn't hear anything. Her lips were moving. Jake shook his head, struggling to tell her that he couldn't understand, but he found his voice was gone. Panic rushed through him as he realized she wasn't actually speaking. She was chanting something. Day became night and her touch became fire. Jake tried to pull away but couldn't. His knees wobbled and he feared he wouldn't stand much longer as the fire in his palms spread throughout his body. He could feel it in his veins. In his heart. The she-kat released her hold on his palms and grasped one of his forearms. Pain exploded beneath her grip and he snatched his arm back to find she'd branded him. _

"_That is our totem," she purred. "The mark of Ashutosh. From this moment forward, you will have the gift." _

"_What gift?" Jake asked, surprising himself at his ability to speak. _

"_You may enter the spirit world as you please." Ashutosh caressed his cheek with her paw. "But with this gift comes a curse."_

"_What curse? And how do I enter the spirit world?" Jake could feel her slipping away. _

"_The stone is in a cavern behind the great fall named for your brother." Her body was translucent now. _

"_My brother?" Jake shook his head. "I don't... I don't understand."_

"_Shiriki struggles within you! When you awaken, his soul will have joined yours and you will have his gifts and his curses and you shall save both worlds, the one you are trapped in and the one you call home." _

"_Wait!" Jake shouted as she faded away. "Ashutosh!"_

* * *

'thunk'

Chance gave a satisfied smirk as the small ax he'd thrown embedded deep into the painted tree trunk. "Not bad, even if I do say so myself." When he'd grown impatient waiting for Jake, Yudhajit had demanded he show the tabby how to use some of their weapons.

"You are a skilled warrior," he purred proudly. "Your mate, his skills are equal?"

"Are you kidding?" Chance made a face that was both full of pride and a pout all at once. "Jake, would've made that mark from further away." He heaved a worried sigh. "How long is this supposed to take? And... what if Jake _isn't_ a descendant? We could be wasting time _and_ risking his life."

"I have no doubt that Jake shares the blood of Ashutosh." Yudhajit sounded offended as he pulled the ax from the wood. Chance hung his head. Yudhajit clapped the tabby on the shoulder. "All will be fine." He looked up. "Here comes Ophelia. And Wahchinksapa is with her."

Chance's head snapped up as they neared. "Is he alright?" He asked as soon as they were within earshot. Wahchinksapa spoke in an aged gravely voice and Ophelia smiled. "He says that your friend requires your presence."

Chance's eyes widened and he quickly abandoned the weapons practice for the Shaman's hut.

As he pulled open the hut, Chance was greeted with the same acrid smoke as his lover. He coughed and choked, feeling slightly buzzed by the time he noticed Jake, curled up on his side, breathing deeply, his fur slick with sweat. It did nothing to ease the worry he'd felt before.

"Jake," he whispered, kneeling on the soft dirt floor. He stroked the hair out of his soft furry face.

"Chance," Jake purred, opening his eyes. "I missed you."  
"You missed me?" Chance chuckled. "You've only been here a few hours. And I was pretty much right outside."

"Are you sure?" Jake pushed himself up, leaning in to nuzzle his cheek against Chance's. "Mmmrrr, you smell good."

Chance pulled away, giving Jake an amused smirk. "What did you two smoke in here?"

Jake shook his head slowly. "I have no idea." He bit his bottom lip to stave off the urge to giggle. "I really need some air."

"I agree." Chance carefully led Jake out of the hut and into the bright afternoon sunlight.

Jake squinted and stumbled as he brought a paw up to shield his eyes. "What the hell?" His eyes noticed a marking on his arm and he lowered it.

"What?" Chance looked down and saw the brand on his mate's arm. "Did that shaman do that?"

Jake looked up. He'd never heard that kind of anger in Chance's voice before. He shook his head. "No. It..." He blinked as his head cleared of the smoke and the haze. "I know where the stone is." He started to pull Chance along.

"Wait, Jake.." Chance held his ground, causing Jake to stop.

"I can't explain it to you, Chance." Jake turned to face him and grasped his arms. "It's not that you aren't supposed to know, I just don't think you'd believe what I saw." He shook his head and frowned. "I don't understand. She said something about a gift. But I don't feel different." Jake scratched the back of his head.

"But you know where to find the stone?" Chance looked concerned, taking Jake's arm in his paws. "What _is_ this?"

"A falcon," Jake replied. "And there's a cavern inside Shiriki Falls. We need to get moving. Where are Ophelia and Yudhajit?"

"Um..." Chance looked around.

Jake tilted his head, a look of confusion spread across his face. Had he heard something? 'No,' he thought. 'That wasn't in my ears.' Jake fixated on a hut and a feeling of lust and need washed over him and he groped for Chance's arm. "Maybe we should give them a few minutes. Or an hour."

"What?" Chance looked surprised.

"Let's just say that we aren't the only ones here with a less than platonic relationship." Jake blushed beneath his fur as he pulled Chance away from the camp. He felt suddenly crowded, as if in a room filled with kats all talking at once. But, when he looked around, he saw few of the natives outside their huts or talking, fewer speaking in a language he understood.

"What's wrong?" Chance asked as they slipped into the woods.

"I just needed some space," Jake whispered. He exhaled slowly and sank down against the base of a tree. He looked up and saw the sunlight framing Chance's body, giving it a sort of halo effect.

Chance tilted his head. "Like what you see?" He smirked.

"Just thinking," Jake smiled shyly, remembering how his dream, or vision, began.

"About what?" Chance sat down beside him.

"Remember that time in the park?" Jake ducked his head.

Chance was silent for a moment, and then he laughed. "Yeah. You damn near carved our names in that tree." He sighed. "That was... what? Two? Three years ago?" He grinned and nudged Jake playfully. "The first in a long line of places we've marked, huh?"

"Ever think about adding a few more to the list?"

Chance's eyes widened in surprise. "Listen to you, all of a sudden 'mister adventurous'. Can't remember the last time _you_ made a proposition like that."

Jake stood up and brushed the leaves from his clothes. "Yudhajit is looking for us. Let's take care of the Pastmaster and get home and then you can have me whenever _and_ wherever you like."

Chance licked his lips at the thought, his tail swishing excitedly. "I'll hold you to it."

"Promise?" Jake winked.

Chance wasn't sure where this new lighthearted Jake came from, but he wasn't going to take it for granted. "You bet your ass I promise."

* * *

Ophelia combed her claws through her raven hair in an attempt to disguise what she and Yudhajit were doing in his hut. She checked her dress as she noticed Jake and Chance approaching.

"How soon can we get moving?" Chance asked.

"It's nearly mid-afternoon." Ophelia frowned. "We won't make much headway before it starts to get dark."

"We don't have much time," Jake said. "I know where the stone is, but we need to get moving."

Ophelia gave him an assessing look before nodding her head. "Should we be prepared for an attack?"

"Didn't Yudhajit say we already had the tools?" Chance furrowed his brow in thought.

"Weapons won't help us any in this fight, Chance." Jake gave Ophelia a knowing look. "But magic, on the other paw, will definitely sway the fight in our favor."

"I'll do what I can. If Carolyn is in danger, I don't doubt that she will use her skill against the demon." Ophelia replied as Yudhajit exited the hut behind her carrying several sacks.

"You wish to use to night to hide our movements?" Yudhajit asked Jake.

Jake nodded. "It will be easier that way."

"Then we will move now." Yudhajit nodded his head towards the woods.

"Just the four of us?" Ophelia's eyes widened.

"We don't need anyone else." Jake said. "Unless you want to just hand the Pastmaster victims."

Ophelia snapped her mouth shut at the notion. 'Ungrateful heathen,' she thought angrily.

Jake winced, feeling a sharp stab of pain in his head. "I didn't mean it like that." He rubbed his temples, drawing three surprised looks.

"Didn't mean it like _what_?" Ophelia blinked.

"I didn't warrant the name calling," Jake growled.

"What name calling?" She swallowed.

Chance and Yudhajit shared a concerned look.

Jake tilted his head, feeling very confused. "You called me ungrateful."

Ophelia paled beneath her dark fur. "No. I didn't." She grabbed Jake by the arms and stared into his eyes. 'I thought it.'

Jake's eyes widened and he pushed her paws off of him. "Shit," he whispered. "I just read your mind."

* * *

_tbc..._


	8. Chapter 8

Sorry this took so long. I've been very busy lately.

* * *

Chance found himself struggling to keep up with the lithe tom moving about the trees like a shadow. Since when did Jake know his way around this strange forest? Even Ophelia and Yudhajit moved with a bit less speed. Still, Jake's movements were surprisingly soundless, every now and then he'd turn his head back to give them all a pleading look. The shock of being able to hear their thoughts was still visible on his face, but the need to get to the falls and find the stone was far more important than his new talent. Still, there were moments when one of them would clearly wonder something to themselves and Jake would pause and sort of cringe. Chance noted this and tried to keep his thoughts away from morbid curiosity. Given the events since their arrival in this world, however, it wasn't hard to think more of his concern for his lover than what he was probably thinking.

They reached the cliff over looking the falls before the sun could set entirely. Jake paused just within the treeline to take in the beauty of it all. Even the distance they were, the sound of the waterfall was loud, and mist rose up from where it emptied into a larger body of water. A chilly wind swept through the trees, rustling leaves and their clothing. Jake shuddered and then moved forward. They would have to go left and work their way around. Or they could jump and swim to the shore near the falls. He couldn't help but smile at the thought, in spite of knowing how cold the water was going to be.

Jake could hear Chance's confused thoughts before the tabby even neared him. So when Chance sat beside him, he already knew what he wanted.

"We've still got some light left," Jake said quietly. "We'll need it to get down there, unless you feel like getting your fur wet."  
"You don't know how deep that water is." Chance told him.

Jake flinched at the sudden onslaught of worry and pleading all at once.

"Sorry." Chance frowned.

"Do you always worry about me this much?" Jake's eyes sparkled in the fading light.

"You don't already know the answer?" Chance tilted his head, giving his mate a sheepish look.

"That was kind of a dumb question, huh?" Jake looked away. "You don't have to keep trying to hold back your thoughts. Even when you try, I can still hear you over everyone else."

"I guess proximity has nothing to do with the volume of your thoughts?"

Jake shook his head. "I think it's more that I'm always thinking about you, even when I'm not trying."

"That could have it's perks." Chance grinned wickedly.

Jake's eyes widened and he gave a slight gasp at the sudden dirty thought to flash through his mind. "Not the time _or_ the place for that," he scolded.

"Just thinking." Chance shrugged nonchalantly. "Would like to have some fun with it just in case it isn't permanent."

"You'll have plenty of time." Jake looked back out over the water. "I've got a feeling this won't be going away." He pushed himself up and held a paw out for his mate. "We should get moving."

"And we're back to me following your lead." Chance teased.

Moving down the cliff towards the falls was a lot slower going than when they'd started. Soon they were as close as they could get to the falls without have to yell over the roar of the water. "The cavern is on the other side." Jake pointed across the pool of water before it narrowed back into a river. "We will have to swim across."

Ophelia frowned and looked down the bank. It was shallow enough to cross further on, but as she looked for a way to the falls, the bank became very steep and without any good footholds. "Alright," she said to Jake. "Let's do this while I can still see my paws in front of my face."

He nodded and turned to Chance. Quietly, so that none of them could hear, he said to his lover, "Stay close to me. I won't let the falls pull you under."

Chance nodded his head, relieved that Jake had so modestly acknowledged his fear. He still wasn't that great of a swimmer. Jake quickly removed his shoes and waited until he was sure everyone was ready as they were going to be before quietly easing into the water. Instantly, he felt his privates shrink back inside of him. He was positive it couldn't be any colder without freezing. Still, he moved slowly, waiting for Chance. The cold water was only made worse by the amount of wind coming off the waterfall. They were all shivering by the time the were on the rocks and inching towards the darkness behind the cascade.

Chance had a paw on Jake's shoulder, afraid he would lose the small kat in the thick darkness of the cavern. As they moved further in, however, a soft glow became visible.

"Torches," Ophelia muttered.

"I smell blood," Yudhajit whispered only moments before Jake came to a jarring halt.

"What's wrong?" Chance hissed in Jake's ear.

"The Pastmaster is really a horrible creature," Jake replied, his voice wavering. "The lengths he'll go to, just to get his way." He turned to Ophelia. "You should go ahead of us. She won't appreciate being seen by strange toms in her state."

"Carolyn?" Ophelia's onyx eyes narrowed into worried slits.

Jake nodded and shifted out of the way so that she could go past them, her wet dress dragging the stone floor.

"Is he here?" Chance asked.

Jake grimaced. "Sort of." He looked at Yudhajit. "This... spirit world portal, it isn't visible to the conscious mind, is it?"

Yudhajit shook his head. "No. One must fall into trance."

Jake nodded. "That makes sense." He sighed and looked at Chance. "I keep hearing echoes, disembodied sounds, like they're here, but not here at the same time. I need to find that stone." They heard Ophelia approaching and Jake started moving before she explained what she'd seen.

"Both Carolyn and the demon are here. But they are unconscious. I covered her as best a I could, but it appears that he, the filthy creature he is, violated her to force her to use her magic." Ophelia didn't bother whispering this time. There was no need. As the tunnel opened up to a large cavern, illuminated by several torches, even Jake couldn't help but pause. He turned his head from the sight of this time period's Callie. Her fur was stained red and her body limp. Still her lips moved and a raspy voice chanted something. She was keeping the spirit world open. Jake's eyes suddenly lighted on a stone pedestal on the floor of the cave. A bright shimmering stone attached to a leather cord gleamed up at him. He moved forward and reached a paw out to it.

"Jake, wait!" Chance stopped him. "You don't know..."

"Now who's the nonbeliever?" Jake interrupted him.  
Chance paused, his mouth hanging open.

"Do you trust me?" Jake repeated his words from before the tabby had set his leg.

Chance nodded, and Jake smiled brightly. He took Chance's face in his paws and kissed him deeply, changing the direction of his thoughts. "There will be trouble." Jake said, finally ending the passionate moment. "I will need you here to watch my back."

"As if I'd let anything happen to you." Chance caressed Jake's arm with his paw, still hesitant to let him pick up the stone. "Be careful."

"I will." Jake took a deep breath and scooped of the stone. He slipped it over his head and it came to rest above his heart. "Okay," he thought. "Now what?"

His heart began to race and his vision filled with fire, long shadows stretching up to the ceiling and dancing around, chanting to a drum. It became louder and louder until a glowing hole in the world burst open and opaque arms reached out, pulling him in.

Chance caught Jake's body as it went limp and he looked up at Ophelia for guidance.

"He's on his own now." She said. "We should be wary."

Chance pressed his fingers against Jake's neck, feeling a very rapid, but strong, pulse. "He said there would be trouble. But what kind?"

* * *

_tbc..._


	9. Chapter 9

Finally another chapter. Dun dun dun.

* * *

Jake's flesh burned as he walked through the fire. Thick acrid smoke filled his lungs and he gasped for breath. He choked and coughed as the air cleared and he found himself staring up at a monstrous, but familiar, castle. "Megalith," he rasped. As if to confirm the obvious, a large, angry beast of a dragon screeched loudly as it soared high into the cloudy sky. It was adorned with a rider and, as he turned the red scaly creature around and leveled out, he let loose a barrage of arrows. "Looks like the battle is inside the castle walls." Jake wasted no more time examining the situation as he darted towards the large stone structure. The drawbridge was raised and the guards were busy watching the inside of the walls and the sky above.

"The Queen..."

Jake winced as the words pierced his skull, only part of a jumbled mess of thoughts and feelings attacking him. There was a small war being waged on the other side. Good versus Evil. Life versus Afterlife. He snarled loudly, pushing the storm out of his brain. The angry sound attracted the attention of the guards.

"Who goes there?"

"Sir Razor!" Jake shouted loudly. "I can stop the Pastmaster!"

Immediately the drawbridge began to lower. Jake didn't allow it to touch down completely before leaping onto the lowering wooden mechanism and hurrying inside, into the chaos. The air was heavy with magic. It was like electricity and his fluffy reddish brown fur stood on end. For the first time, Jake looked down and realized that he wasn't wearing the clothes he'd had on when he picked up the stone. In fact, he was barely covered in a deerskin loin cloth and had a longbow and quiver full of arrows on his back. "Damn it," he cursed softly. "Not what I had in mind."

As if his frustration were a tidal wave, a ripple went through the warriors of the kingdom and the Pastmaster and his dragons. They turned to look at Jake.

"Fiend!" The Pastmaster growled. "You are too late! Calista is waiting for me!"  
"You won't take Megalith," Jake defended, drawing an arrow from his back and readying the bow.

The Pastmaster cackled. "Where are your weapons, Swat Kat? Lose them along the way?" His laughter abruptly ceased when he noticed the stone around the vigilantes neck, resting above his heart. "No," he whispered.

Jake recoiled at the sudden feeling of fear that washed over him. Surly that little demon wasn't scared of an arrow. The cold ancient bluish stone suddenly grew hot. Jake released the arrow and stared at his paws. He could feel a current of energy coursing through his flesh. "What do I do, Ashutosh?"

"_Draw in the energy from the earth and direct it at your enemy. Shiriki will guide you."_

Jake took a deep breath, filling his lungs before slowly exhaling. As he did, he held out his arms and the heat he felt above his heart spread through his body. There was a collective gasp around him as the ground trembled and the sky thundered.

* * *

Chance gasped when the ground shook and bits of the cavern fell around them. "What the hell is going on?"

"It's the spirit world!" Ophelia shouted over the noise of the falls and the rattling of the earth. "The build up of magical energy is angering the spirits! We need to get out of here before everything collapses!"  
"Can we move them?" Chance looked down at Jake. He didn't look peaceful. In fact, his face was tight in concentration and his lips were moving subtly, as if he were talking, just like Carolyn.

"We must!" Ophelia directed Yudhajit to lift Carolyn. "If this cave collapses and kills them, then we all will suffer!"

"Crud," Chance whispered and made quick work of lifting Jake's body.

* * *

"You're too late!" The Pastmaster shouted again, only this time with less confidence. "I will have Queen Calista and Megalith will be mine!"

Jake opened his eyes and stared up at the demon. "You won't have anything." With one swift movement, he directed the white hot energy towards the Pastmaster. It morphed into the shape of a falcon and screeched loudly as it swept upwards.

"The white witch dies with me!" The Pastmaster shouted just as the magic was about to hit him.

Jake paused and pulled back. The energy was strong, but he held it still.

"_She has made her sacrifice. The gods are waiting for her." _ Ashutosh whispered in his ear. _"You must end this now!"_

"Then she dies to save her world!" Jake snarled and released the energy.

* * *

Yudhajit was fast and light on his feet. He skillfully navigated the narrow corridors of the cavern, skidding to a halt just outside the opening to turn and look for Chance and Ophelia. Ophelia was holding up her dress and clumsily hurrying to the outside. She stumbled as the earth quaked and debris fell behind her. She spun on her heels. "Chance!" A mountain of rubble separated her from the tabby with his lover in his arms.

"FUCK!" Chance shouted. "GOD DAMN IT!" He growled and dropped to his knees. "Let's hope the rest of this place doesn't come down on top of us, buddy." He stood up after resting his mate on the cold stone floor and looked around. Behind and in front they were caved in. He tested the stones and boulders, trying to loosen them up, but they didn't budge. There was another rumble and he covered Jake's body with his, protecting the smaller kat from the falling rocks.

Outside the cave, Yudhajit laid Carolyn on the soft damp grass in the darkness. "Tend to her while I try to open the cave."

Ophelia knelt beside Carolyn and tilted her head. "She is breathing funny." As she said it, the naked she-kat coughed and sputtered in her unconsciousness, choking as her mouth filled with blood. "She's dying! No! This cannot be good!"

* * *

Jake held his breath as the Pastmaster collapsed to the ground, his magical creatures vanishing beneath the wave of white energy. "Where is Calista?"

Heaving loudly, the ancient demon raised a shaking arm and pointed towards the tower. "You... will never... return home... without me..."

"We've done it before." Jake growled and ran towards the tall, cylindrical structure, leaving the townsfolk in a state of shock that he'd so abruptly ended the battle. His bare feet made not a sound as he swiftly scaled the steps, finally reaching a heavily barred door. "Calista!"

There was a shuffling inside. "HELP ME!"

Jake studied the locks for a moment. "Where is the key?"  
"There is no key! They are enchanted!"

Jake frowned. "Okay, I could really use some guidance right about now."  
"You have to focus on the locks! I cannot do it from in here! Focus on them and repeat after me!" Calista sounded as if she were leaning against the door.

Jake hesitantly hovered his paws over the locks.

"Ready?"

"Yes," he replied.

"Patefacio illa crines!" Calista sounded out slowly.

"Patefacio," Jake intoned, surprising himself at the vibration in his throat and his words. "Illa crines!" His eyes widened with surprise as the heavy iron locks glowed gold and shimmered before simply falling to the floor. The door swung open.

"Sir Razor?!" Calista blinked in surprise. "Where are your clothes?"  
Jake flushed. "Um... it's a long story."

"No matter." Calista hugged him tightly.

Jake gasped slightly at the overwhelming feeling of relief.

"You have saved our world once again." She whispered in his ear. "What can I do to repay you?"

"A way home would be great. Though, I'm afraid it's a lot more complicated this time." Jake sighed.

"And how is that?"

"Well, I'm not simply stuck in your world. I'm stuck in another world and I had to come to your world to save that one and my world." Jake felt suddenly very weak. "So how do I get out of two worlds and back to my own?"

Calista tilted her head to the side and laid a paw on the gleaming stone resting against his chest. "This feels very powerful. Is it how you got here?"

Jake nodded.

"Then it is your answer." She scratched him under the chin. "The Pastmaster used the spirit world to get here. It is your go between. If you can travel from one world to another, then you simply need to focus your energies on where or when, I suppose, you wish to be."

"There's no place like home, huh?" Jake joked.  
"I'm sorry?" Calista looked confused.

"Never mind." Jake chuckled, then sobered. "When I put this on, I was sort of taken here. Is there something I should do to activate it or something?"

Calista led him out of the tower. "This will require a lot of energy and a lot of focus."

Jake followed her from the tower into the castle itself. He was surprised to find himself being taken to her chambers.

"Sit," she directed to the rug in front of the fireplace. "I will have a fire started, and then we will begin."

It took a while for Calista to find a servant that wasn't too busy outside the castle to bring in some wood and get a warm fire burning. Finally, they were alone again. "Find a way to sit so that you are comfortable and not concerned with readjusting."

After some fidgeting and squirming, Jake finally situated himself on the rug, legs crossed Indian style and paws resting on his knees.

"Very good. Now, you must focus only on your breathing, nothing else. Inhale." Calista waited for him to follow. When he did, she continued. "And exhale. Keep doing this until your mind drifts back to the gateway. When you reach it, you can focus on your journey rather than the transportation."

Jake nodded his head and focused on his breathing as he was told. His eyes fell closed as his body relaxed and his mind emptied. Calista's quiet breaths dissolved into the soft beating of a drum and the flames from the fireplace were now visible on the insides of his eyelids.

* * *

Chance raised his body slowly, shaking off the dirt, dust and rocks. "Any day now, Jake," he joked nervously before caressing a coppery cheek with his paw. He could have sworn he heard something about Carolyn dying just before the last rumble. "Please don't leave me here."

Jake's head turned into Chance's touch. "Wouldn't dream of it," he mumbled tiredly.

Chance immediately pulled Jake's body up and into a tight hug, ignoring the soft gasp of pain at the crushing pressure. "Never again," the tabby mewed into Jake's neck. "You're never doing that again."

Jake squirmed and twisted so that he was more comfortable in the large kat's embrace. "I have to if you want to go home."  
Chance tightened his hold. "Can't I just enjoy you being alive for five seconds without you reminding me that we have other things to do?" He slid his paws up to cup Jake's face and pulled it towards his for a deep kiss.

Jake felt a shock wave crash through him and his body responded accordingly. A needful purr escaped his lips and it didn't take long for Chance's paws to work down his pants. Normally, Jake would have protested the behavior, reminding his lover that they had to finish the job, find a way out, save the mayor, or whatever else would be waiting after an especially trying battle. But the things Chance was screaming in his mind, the emotions rolling off him like water were enough to make Jake just as blind to everything else. Allowing himself to succumb to the heavy passion, Jake tilted his head back so that Chance could bite down on his neck while he worked his paws back behind him. Chance's skillful fingertips found the tight pucker waiting under Jake's furry tail and worked it until Jake was practically begging him.

Jake twisted so that he was on his paws and knees, tail against his spine. It wasn't comfortable at all with the sharp stones pressing into his knees but it was easily dismissed when Chance gripped his hips and eased into his body. Jake cried, feeling both his and his mate's pleasure all at once. Chance moaned and leaned over him, wrapping one arm around Jake's toned abdomen and using the other paw to stroke Jake while he bucked his hips, moving in and out rapidly.

Jake whimpered and whined, trying to move his hips to match both Chance's paw and thrusts all at once, too overwhelmed to really know what to do.

"So tight..." Chance mumbled, purring heavily.

Jake felt his balls tighten only a half a second before he came, covering Chance's paw and the cold ground beneath him.

"Almost..." Chance moaned, even more turned on by the spray of hot semen. He shifted a little to hit Jake's prostate, causing the thin tom to arch and tighten with a gasp. Chance made an unintelligible growl in the back of his throat before filling Jake's ass to the brim. The warm body beneath him went suddenly limp, exhausted from head to tail. Chance eased himself out, allowing Jake to collapse tiredly. He licked his paw clean, smiling a little at the visible shudder that worked through Jake's body. A rock tumbled from the mound of stones and boulders blocking the exit.

"Chance? Jake?" Ophelia's voice called to them. "We're almost through!"  
Jake clumsily pulled his clothes back on, shooting Chance a look as he did the same. Then they both scrambled to move the stones on their side until finally, a familiar dark paw reached through the rubble and fresh air filtered in.

* * *

_tbc..._


End file.
